Blood in stool

Blood in the stool means that a person is passing blood when they do a poo. The blood is not always red – sometimes it can be dark brown or black. There can be blood clots.

Occasionally a person passes blood and mucus at the same time. The bleeding might be painful or it might be painless. The most common causes of bleeding from the bowel are piles (haemorrhoids), anal fissures and bowel infections.

It could also be a sign of cancer or an inflammatory bowel disease. It is very important to see your doctor if you suspect you might be bleeding from the bowel.